Celtic Requiem
Encyclopedia
A Celtic Requiem is a requiem
by the English composer John Tavener
, written in 1969. It is written for soprano
, children's choir and orchestra.
Despite its title, the work is not actually a requiem for anyone in particular. Instead, it takes the rough format of a singing game
for children. A character, Jenny Jones, is selected by the children who at one point dance around her to ward off evil spirits. According to the composer, this
It was premiered by the London Sinfonietta
and chorus under David Atherton
in August 1969. Shortly afterward the BBC
recorded it with the soprano June Barton and the children of Little Missenden
Village School and the composer playing the organ
. These forces then recorded the work for Apple Records
along with two other Tavener pieces: Nomine Jesu and Coplas. The recording was released in 1970, and re-released as a CD (on SAPCOR 20) in 1993.
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
by the English composer John Tavener
John Tavener
Sir John Tavener is a British composer, best known for such religious, minimal works as "The Whale", and "Funeral Ikos"...
, written in 1969. It is written for soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, children's choir and orchestra.
Despite its title, the work is not actually a requiem for anyone in particular. Instead, it takes the rough format of a singing game
Singing game
A singing game is an activity based around a particular verse or rhyme, usually associated with a set of actions and movements. They have been studied by folklorists, ethnologists and psychologists and are seen as important part of childhood culture...
for children. A character, Jenny Jones, is selected by the children who at one point dance around her to ward off evil spirits. According to the composer, this
though handed down to children, has its origin in a funeral rite in the lowlands of ScotlandThe piece is composed in three sections which follow the traditional requiem: 'Requiem aeternam', 'Dies irae' and 'Requiescat in pace'.ScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
It was premiered by the London Sinfonietta
London Sinfonietta
The London Sinfonietta is an English chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble specialises in contemporary music and works across a wide range of genres, performing modern classics alongside world premieres, and includes music by electronica artists as well as folk and...
and chorus under David Atherton
David Atherton
David Atherton OBE, is an English conductor.-Background:Atherton was born in Blackpool, Lancashire in a musical family. He was educated at Blackpool Grammar School. His father, Robert Atherton, was the Music Master at St Joseph's College, Blackpool and was also a conductor...
in August 1969. Shortly afterward the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
recorded it with the soprano June Barton and the children of Little Missenden
Little Missenden
Little Missenden is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the Chiltern Hills, about three miles south east of Great Missenden, three miles west of Amersham.The toponym "Missenden" is derived from the Old English for "valley where marsh plants grow"...
Village School and the composer playing the organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
. These forces then recorded the work for Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
along with two other Tavener pieces: Nomine Jesu and Coplas. The recording was released in 1970, and re-released as a CD (on SAPCOR 20) in 1993.